Strange as it may sound, there is merit to this. Simply because, efficiency is always measured within the context of a time-space continuum.
What does that mean?
Those of us who pride ourselves on efficiency, measure (ourselves) within the context of one-act, within one environment, done with ruthless regularity. It is the regularity and forced obedience to system that makes us efficient. We figure out the hacks, the kinks, the gaps and we optimise those to become efficient.
But what happens, if you change the act and the environment?
Can a bike racer, be an equally skilful car driver? Or can a rock climber be an equally efficient alpine mountaineer? Chances are that the answer would be no, 99 out of 100 times.
It’s exactly why you will find knowledge and skill workers struggle to make the leap to management. They just cannot adapt to the needs of a new act. A new environment.
Inefficiency, on the other hand, is always criticized, but if you look at it, it’s not that inefficient people (in one particular activity), do not get the job done. They do — only slowly and in a different way. Some may even argue they lack perfection- but then the moot question becomes, is there a limit to perfection? Can perfect be better than perfect?
The answer is yes. Chasing perfection is good, but there is no end to it. Somewhere, we all need to draw a line and move forward, because inspiration is perishable. If we don’t act on it and wait for perfection — it’s lost forever.
It’s like waiting for the perfect guy or girl in a relationship. It’s an illusion. Two people need to come together to work out the kinks and make a relationship perfect. If the primary attraction is there and it comes from inside, it’s worth giving it a shot.
Therefore, love is quite inefficient in that regard. And yet it is so beautiful if we allow ourselves to feel it (beyond our insecurities).
Let’s look at some other aspects of inefficiency. Inefficient folks (in one particular act) have to adapt far more than most others because they want to survive. They pick up other skills. Life skills, social skills and people skills which help them cover for gaps they cannot fulfil with professional expertise alone; and guess what — when the environment changes (and the environment always changes), they are often the ones with far more adaptability and resilience to weather the storm and survive.
So while they may be chided for being lazy, or just slacking (in one particular activity), more often than not, they are better in managing other aspects of some other acts with far more ease. This happens because they are not constrained about maintaining a status-quo, and neither are they afraid of innovation or change. They live it every day, and they are far more suited to adapt to that changing environment.
So, next time someone chides you for being inefficient or you feel depressed by seeing some uber efficient folks in action-always remember, that by putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation and surviving it, you are learning new things, adapting to new situations every day.
A life skill, that will stand by you for a lifetime.
When you routinely put yourself in situations where you aren’t the most skilled, you learn, you grow, and eventually, you adapt. You build your repertoire of traits and talents, so when change hits, you have a wide array of skills. This flexibility can also give you the confidence to seek change.
There is no one way of measuring life or its impact. As long as you are showing up and taking the hits, you are doing far more than you give yourself credit for. So go ahead. Give yourself some credit. Ignore the naysayers. Learn what you enjoy learning. Do what you need to do.
PS: 50 years ago it took weeks to build one car. Nowadays they make a car from nothing to showroom ready in 18 hours. Efficiencies (of individual acts)change. Life skills, on the other hand, stand the test of time.
